Roofing Systems
Slate and Synthetic Slate Roofing in Dallas-Fort Worth
Real slate, simulated slate and stone coated steel slate profiles for custom North Texas homes.
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Three Ways to Get a Slate Roof
A slate roof is the traditional choice on custom and historic homes, and there are three ways to get that look in North Texas: real quarried slate, simulated slate made from synthetic materials, and stone coated steel in a slate profile. They differ mostly in weight, cost and how they handle hail.
Classic Superoof installs all three and is a member of the Tile Roofing Institute. If your home was framed for slate, we can put slate back on it. If it was not, we will tell you that before you spend money on an engineer.
Compare Slate, Simulated Slate and Steel Slate
| Real slate | Simulated slate | Stone coated steel slate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | The original: stone, with natural variation | Close copy, molded from slate patterns | Slate profile with a stone granule surface |
| Weight | Heavy | Weighs far less than traditional slate | About 140 pounds per 100 square feet |
| Structure | Framing must be built or reinforced for it | Installs on normal residential framing | Light enough for many reroofs over the existing roof on battens |
| Cost tier | Premium | About half the cost of traditional slate | Mid to high |
| Hail and impact | Stone can crack; individual tiles are replaced | Resists scratches, unlike traditional slate; insurers often prefer rubber-based products | Class 4 UL 2218 where the manufacturer publishes a rating |
| Lifespan | Generations with upkeep | Up to 50 years | Lifetime finish warranty from the manufacturer |
| Upkeep | Specialist work; not a homeowner job | Can be maintained by the homeowner | Essentially none |
Simulated slate is often made from materials such as PVC, which is what makes it light, easy to install and simple to care for, and it insulates well. Compared with asphalt shingles at roughly a 20 year life, up to 50 years is a long time to not think about the roof.
Who a Slate Roof Fits
Slate belongs on custom and historic homes where the roof is part of the architecture, and we install it regularly for homeowners in Highland Park, Southlake and Colleyville. It also suits homes under architectural review, because a slate or slate-profile roof is rarely the thing a committee objects to.
If the house was not framed for stone, synthetic slate or a stone coated steel slate profile gets you the same roof line without structural work. That is the usual answer on 1990s and newer homes in Frisco, Plano, Argyle and Weatherford.
See slate projects in the slate roof gallery, compare it with stone coated steel roofing, add copper accents, or start with metal roof installation and replacement.
Slate Roofing Questions
Only if it was framed for that weight or can be reinforced. Slate is heavy, so this is a structural question first and a design question second. We look at the framing before quoting real slate.
Up to 50 years, against roughly 20 years for standard asphalt shingles in this climate. It also resists scratching, which traditional slate does not.
Around half the cost of traditional slate, and it does not require the structural work real slate often does. We price both so you can see the difference on your own roof.
Stone coated steel in a slate profile, where the manufacturer publishes a Class 4 UL 2218 rating, is the strongest option. Insurance companies often prefer simulated slate shingles made from rubber materials over stone.
Yes. Individual real slate tiles are replaced by hand, which is specialist work. Simulated slate is simpler and can largely be maintained by the homeowner.
